Go-Go Mommy

"Oh, the places you'll go"

I recently received an email asking for travel tips from someone who is going on "flight travel of 23+ hours with an infant and two year old." After I gave my blessings and told them they should be nominated for Parent of the Year, I began to think of my airline trips with Poppy and Sweet Pea.

So far I've traveled alone with them twice. The first time was when Poppy was 3 years and Sweet Pea was 6 months. Our second trip was about 5 months later (3.5 years and almost 1 year). I was feeling "experienced" enough to take the "red-eye" from California out to the midwest for the second trip. So, while I haven't spent "23+" hours of flight travel time (and by the way, I'm DYING to know where my friend is traveling "to" and "from"), I have traveled at all times of the day/night and have survived to tell about it.

Here are some of my "helpful hints". This list is by no means exhaustive, for instance, I forgot to mention in my return email that my trips were made easier because I purchased a "flight safety harness" that is FAA approved from a company called CARES. It slips over the airline seat, attaches to the seatbelt, and acts like the harness systems that are on childrens' carseats. This little safety harness is great! It fit right into our carry-on bag so I did not have to break my back trying to carry Poppy's carseat onto the plane (after all, I was already weighed down with Sweet Pea's infant carrier) and instead I just checked in the carseat. (Did I already say how much I heart this device?!)

Anyway, here is what I wrote in response. I hope you find these tips helpful and if I missed something that worked well for you, I'd love to hear about it. You can never have enough new things to do/take on a flight when it comes to infant/toddler travel!

Things to take: (in no particular order)
1. Somehow food seems to come to mind first:
Take an insulated lunchbox with ice pack(s) and good
home-cooked food that you know your little one will
eat & favorite snacks (You never know where you are
going to get hung-up while traveling so best to be
prepared - plus airplane food is usually non-existant
or really bad unless you're on Air France);

2. For infant: if bottle fed, I would take premeasured
dry powder formula, buy a few bottles of water at the
airport, and viola - instant bottles;

3. Your portable DVD player & videos with an "extra
or multiple headphone jack", I got mine at Radio Shack
- it lets 3 headphones plug into one port so everyone
can listen;

4. LOTS of "busy work": Depending on your child's
interests, I would being coloring books, crayons,
sticker books, flash cards, books to read, travel-size
magna doodle, etc.

5. Bring at least one "new toy" for your older one -
you can even wrap it so they will remember the
experience. My MIL also bought an "airport lift the
flap" book that reviews everything that happens at the
airport - we looked at this book every night for a
couple of nights before our trip so our older one knew
what to expect;

6. For infant: bring as many pacifiers as you can and
make sure he/she has a bottle during take off and
landing (it really hurts the ears and the sucking
motion helps them) & as above, bring favorite toys,
stuffed animals, favorite blanket (or something that
smells like home), AND new toys/teethers, etc. as well
- when they get fussy, DISTRACTION is the key!

Happy travels everyone!

Hello from the Hinterland!

Here's a blog for all those who have ever been on vacation and had "blog withdrawal."  Being back at home for a visit with Poppy and Sweet Pea has been quite a challenge when it comes to getting out a decent post.  This isn't due to lack of time, mind you.  It's due to lack of technology - which leads me to feel like I am in the tech hinterland.

Unfortunately, my parents only source of technology is the ceiva picture frame I sent to them almost 4 years ago now (since Poppy was born).  It has been a great way for them to see current photos of the girls without having to get a computer and learn how to check email, etc.  The bad news is that they have no computer, no modem, no wireless, etc. at home.  No big deal, I'll just bring my iMac and connect wirelessly at Starbucks.  Good luck!

Here is what I found out about T-Mobile:

1)  T-Mobile su---!

2)  T-Mobile won't let me stay connected for more than 3 minutes before it somehow bumps me off TypePad and won't allow me to save anything l write that is more than 2-3 lines.

3)  I can't even attach a photo from my computer for a post with T-Mobile.

4)  The list goes on.... (Just insert your own T-Mobile story).

So I'm begging for help.  If anyone out there has any T-Mobile advice PLEASE send it OR if you just want to vent about your own non-blogging adventures just share and let the catharsis begin.

Note: This post was created on my in-laws computer.  Thank you NB and JTB for giving me a few minutes to feed my addiction!

Also find me at Silicon Valley Moms Blog as JB.

Serendipity

Today should be the day from hell. Today should be the day that I travel on a red-eye flight with my infant and toddler to see all of our relatives. However, that will not be happening today. I will not have to endure checking-in luggage and car seats, hauling diaper bags, bottles, and a double stoller through security. I will not have to explain that it is baby formula in the baby bottles or try mixing dry-powdered bottles on the plane. Nor will I have to figure out how to navigate the airplane bathroom with my toddler and choose which flight attendant is the most responsible to watch my infant while I'm in the bathroom with my toddler.

I won't have to do any of this because I just found out yesterday (the day before we travel) that my return flight has been cancelled. And not just cancelled but totally eradicated from the airline's flight plans. As of the beginning of September, this airline will "no longer be flying" anywhere closer than a 6 hour drive to my airport. So, rather than flying out today and getting stuck paying thousands of dollars to get home (amazingly this airline has no reciprocity with any other airline on this planet), Go-Go Mommy has made the executive decision to Not-Go for once.

Now I know all the typical sayings: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." - "It's not what happens to you, it's how you react to it." Or something like that, and that's when I started thinking, I have now been given 2 and a half weeks of something new and unexpected. Yes, I will miss seeing my parents, in-laws, brothers, sisters, etc. But at the same time, over the next 17 days, I will be exposed to people, places, and things that I would have missed if not for this unfortunate event. Serendipity in the making!

So, I choose to open my heart and mind and see just what is in store for me and my little ones. It just better be really good!

You can also find me at Silicon Valley Moms Blog as JB.